CruzinAltitude From United States of America, joined May 2004, 415 posts, RR: 1 Posted (5 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 797 times:
The following thread, 787 First Flight Delayed Until October , got me wondering. When building something as complex as a new airliner, it seems logical that delays would occur. Any time a company takes on an endeavor of that nature, especially when reliability and safety are of the utmost importance, it just make sense that issues will arise, and problems will need to be solved.
The A380, which uses more traditional manufacturing techniques, has suffered seemingly extreme delays. The 787, which uses almost completely new manufacturing techniques, and is on it’s way to being delayed, and only time will tell by how much.
I did a quick search and I didn’t see a central thread comparing delays in many commercial aircraft programs, thus this thread is born. I am hoping that the vast knowledge of the A.net community could fill in some blanks.
My question is this…
What delays have past airliners experienced?
Delays for the first flight and delays for EIS.
Ultimately, I wonder if the delays the A380 are facing are truly extreme, or are the a bit long in the tooth, but comparable to airframe delays in the past (before A.net, where we would all get together and flame each other about the delays from the other side of the pond).
I wonder if the developing delays for the 787 are normal, or even lower than normal. I need a frame of reference with which to judge the delays in the two major commercial aircraft programs.
So here is the format –
Aircraft type
OFF: (date manufacturer originally set for the first flight)
AFF: (actual date of the aircraft’s first flight)
OEIS: (date manufacturer originally set for entry into service)
AEIS: (actual date of the aircraft’s entry into service)
It will be interesting to discuss the current delays when we have a better picture of past delays.
Airbus:
A300
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
A310
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
A320
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
A330
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
A340
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
Boeing:
707
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
727
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
737
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
737NG
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
747
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
757
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
767
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
777
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
Douglas/McDonnell Douglas:
DC-8
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
DC-9
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
DC-10
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
MD-11
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
MD-90
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS: Lockheed:
L-1011
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
Embraer:
ERJ
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
E Jet
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
Canadair:
CRJ
OFF:
AFF:
OEIS
AEIS:
Thanks in advanced for your thoughts, input and help!
Tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 80 Reply 1, posted (5 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 766 times:
Quoting CruzinAltitude (Thread starter): The A380, which uses more traditional manufacturing techniques, has suffered seemingly extreme delays. The 787, which uses almost completely new manufacturing techniques, and is on it’s way to being delayed
That's true but the delays in the A380 and the 787 both (so far) weren't caused by the choice of manufacturing technique. The biggest part of the A380 delay was a design screwup and, so far, the biggest part of the 787 delay is systems integration. Neither one is particuarly tied to the chosen manufacturing technique.
Futurecaptain From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (5 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 742 times:
Sorry I am not following your format, but I couldn't find the webpage I was looking for and had to use a less reputable one. I may be off by a month or two.
First Flight to EIS
A300: 19 months
A310: 12 months
A320: 13 months
A330: 14 months
A340: 17 months
A380: 28 months and counting as of Aug 2007
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From United States of America, joined May 2004, 415 posts, 
From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, 
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